Castle Art Supplies 120 Colouring Pencils Set | Quality Soft Core Coloured Leads for Adult Artists, Professionals and Colourists | Protected and Organised in Presentation Tin Box

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I really enjoyed using the new Castle Arts Gold Colored Pencils and it is obviously very clear to see that Castle are certainly making a name for themselves, they are not resting on their laurels by any stretch of the imagination. Castle have a wide range of products on their catalog but perhaps the most impressive aspect of the Castle eco system is the literature they provide with their products.

We work hard to ensure that we always deliver top-quality products and thought you might be interested to know the steps we take to ensure your Castle Arts products arrive in the very best condition. We do have some minor complaints, however. First, the bright and light colors struggle to produce the level of color intensity that the darker pencils possess. This is particularly noticeable in the yellows and oranges which seem to require multiple passes to lay down deep color tones.

Castle Art Supplies Creamy Colored Pencils Set, 72-Count

Our pencils feature a ‘soft series’ core, allowing for silky smooth application, as well as expert layering, blending and shading. This makes them incredibly easy to use, a fantastic feature for beginners and experts alike. After speaking to Arteza representatives myself in the past, they confirmed that their Lightfast testing was conducted within the company and not via the Blue Wool or ASTM highly recognised systems. Given this fact and the amazing price the customers are given, its difficult to know how such an in-house lightfast test would stand up against the Blue Wool or ASTM scales. Having a box or case to store your colored pencils makes it easy to manage the clutter that can come from having dozens of pencils. There are colored pencils that come in a metal durable, double-hinged storage tin case. The Crayola Erasable Colored Pencils, 50-Count comes in a peggable, see-through window box. The core of your colored pencils also determines how useful they are for different drawing effects. “Hard-core pencils are best for creating sharp lines and drawing in details,” says Markham. “They are also great for lettering and outlines. Soft-core pencils are best for shading, blending and layering.”

Also, the 72 set of Arteza pencils that I am using is one of the very first sets that Arteza released when they first started reaching out to reviewers. Apparently the more recent sets of pencils from Arteza have a slightly different ingredient making them feel and lay down a little bit different. Obviously I don’t have these pencils and so I can’t talk of the validity to this claim and also keep this in mind throughout the comparison. However, in addition to being popular with kids, colored pencils are now also part of an adult pastime. These days, you’ll find adults — professional artists and beginners alike — creating beautiful works of art using colored pencils. Available in dozens of colors, the pencils are used for drawing, sketching, shading and coloring.There were a few tiny little things that I mentioned about the set, however most of what I mentioned was really my own personal choice and subjective. For example the graphite grade location on the pencil barrel, the replacement of the woodless graphite pencil for a water soluble graphite pencil, a white pastel pencil or charcoal pencil and a softer kneaded eraser. As you can clearly see, most of the things I have mentioned are very subjective and not really to do with the performance of the product. The Arteza Expert Colored Pencils do have a lightfast rating on the pencil barrel, however, as I talk about in my video review, at the very beginning when Arteza first hit the art world, there was a lot of mixed messages about the actual scale being used. Some reviewers were being told that of the three star system used, one star was the highest lightfast rating and three was the lowest and visa versa. As is to be expected giving the price of these gorgeous pencils, the Castle Arts Gold colored Pencils are not lightfast tested, certainly not under the ASTM or Blue Wool. If Castle were to dedicate time and effort regarding the lightfast nature of the Gold Colored Pencils, this would almost certainly increase the price significantly and place them out of reach to so many of us colored pencil artists who love them so much. Castle Arts Gold Colored Pencils Conclusion Also, the external shell color of the pencils is a bit off when compared to the actual color that they put out. Several readers have mentioned making a color template on some scratch paper before using these so that you will have a better idea of the true color and we certainly agree with that. Usability and Durability – 4/5 For children, colored pencils are a cornerstone of fun activities. They are used at home and at school to make whimsical pictures, complete homework and doodle aimlessly.